The County

Hallowell garden tour

Wanita Hallowell (left) gives Presque Isle resident Dan Ladner a tour of her backyard gardens as part of GIFT's annual garden tour on Saturday. (Melissa Lizotte | The Star-Herald)

Wanita Hallowell (left) gives Presque Isle resident Dan Ladner a tour of her backyard gardens as part of GIFT's annual garden tour on Saturday. (Melissa Lizotte | The Star-Herald)

Community members celebrate neighborhood gardens during annual tour

August 12, 2020

Six households and the Mark and Emily Turner Memorial Library took part in the tour. Each garden featured colorful flowers and plants as well as the gardeners' unique decorative touches.

News Browse News

Lengthy discussions cause Orient town meeting to be extended to Saturday

The annual town meeting for Orient was recessed until Saturday after an often contentious three-hour meeting that dealt with 20 of the town’s 36 scheduled articles.

Patten man charged with threatening firefighter, sheriffs, court officials

A Penobscot County man allegedly telephoned the Patten town office and threatened to kill a firefighter for allegedly cutting him off and then went on threatening tirades against police and court officials in separate phone calls on Tuesday.

Houlton Water Company to lower electricity rates

Electricity customers of Houlton Water Company received a bit of good news in July as the energy business announced a new lower rate was in the works.

RSU 29 unveils reopening plans

Schools will reopen for in-person classes starting Thursday, Sept. 3, for all students in grades pre-K-12. However, any parent or student who is uncomfortable with the in-person education option because of COVID-19 may select remote learning.

Presque Isle police make arrests after alleged burglary at Cigaret Shopper

Police have arrested three people in connection with a burglary at Cigaret Shopper in Presque Isle.

2 women killed in SUV crash in Island Falls

Two Aroostook County women died when the SUV they were in went off Interstate 95 into a ditch and some trees before catching fire in Island Falls on Monday, state police said.

Crime and Courts Browse Crime and Courts

Woodland man arrested on charges of driving to endanger, eluding officer

Caribou police arrested a Woodland man on multiple charges after finding him driving a yellow scooter with a passenger on a closed ATV trail.

Caribou woman arrested in connection with stolen vehicle

Caribou police arrested Veronica Lopez, 29, of Caribou after receiving information that a vehicle stolen from Presque Isle may be at a Caribou residence, according to Caribou Police Chief Michael Gahagan on Aug. 6.

Maine State Police Troop F Report, July 20-26, 2020

The Maine State Police Troop F barracks in Houlton responded to a number of calls for service during the period of July 20-26, including the following.

2 steal tobacco products from Fort Fairfield gas station

Two people stole an undisclosed amount of tobacco products from a Shell gas station in Fort Fairfield early on Wednesday morning, police said.

Houlton Police log – July, 2020

The Houlton Police Department responded to the following incidents through the month of July.

Houlton Police seeking public’s help in apprehending burglary suspect

The Houlton Police Department is looking for the public’s help in identifying a suspect believed to be connected with two burglaries that occurred early Tuesday morning.

Sports Browse Sports

Henderson softball tourney returns this weekend

It may be a bit later than usual, but the eighth annual Aaron Henderson Memorial softball tournament will return this summer.

Expanded SAD 70 soccer field meets MPA guidelines for regulation play

SAD 70 Athletic Director Wayne Quint said Aug. 5 that work on the Graydon Drake Soccer Field was “progressing nicely” after a large amount of dirt was hauled in to lengthen the field.

Houlton 10-year-old shoots first hole-in-one

Monday started out just like any other day for junior golfers at the Houlton Community Golf Course, but all that changed quickly as word spread of a youngster’s historic shot.

Teanne Ewings captures SFC Aaron Henderson Memorial 5K crown

Family and friends of a fallen soldier gathered outside the John A. Millar Civic Center Saturday to celebrate the life of Aaron Henderson at the sixth annual SFC Aaron Henderson Memorial 5K road race.

Soccer to start in Hodgdon

Hodgdon Middle School soccer will soon get underway.

Golf for Life Scramble to be held August 2

The Houlton Community Golf Club will host a Golf for Life Scramble this Sunday, Aug. 2, at 1 p.m.

Business News Browse Business News

An historical look at Houlton’s prominent women

Houlton Rotary Club met virtually on Monday, Aug. 3, with Rotarian and Houlton Historian Leigh Cummings delivering a presentation titled “Strong Women of Houlton.”

Wotton awarded Maine’s Golden Apple award

Angie Wotton, district manager of the Southern Aroostook Soil and Water Conservation District has been awarded Maine’s Golden Apple Award.

Hospital unit inspection reveals zero deficiencies

Houlton Regional Hospital’s Radiology Department had its yearly Mammography Quality Stands Act inspection on July 22.

Good performance earns city $10,549 from Maine Municipal Association

Presque Isle municipal officials are pleased to announce that the city has received a dividend check in the amount of $10,659 from the Maine Municipal Association as a result of its good loss experience and loss prevention programs.

Pines marks National Health Center Week

Pines Health Services will celebrate National Health Center Week 2020 next week, from Aug. 9 through 15.

Employee earns insurance license

Christopher Anderson, president of the F.A. Peabody Company, has announced that Kelly Wark of the company’s Presque Isle office has earned her Property and Casualty license.

State, National and World News Browse State, National and World News

USDA and Maine CDC team up to distribute rabies vaccines in the wild

Oral rabies vaccine baits will be distributed in northeastern Maine beginning on or about Aug. 3 through Aug. 7 as part of ongoing, cooperative rabies control efforts aimed at reducing the spread of raccoon rabies in Maine.

Moving untreated firewood can spread pests, say forestry officials

The Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry (DACF) is reminding the public about the risk of spreading tree-killing invasive species while moving firewood. New infestations of invasive pests or diseases pose a serious threat to Maine’s landscapes, trees, agriculture, forests, wildlife and the environment.

Don’t plant mystery seeds, state warns

The Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry is urging residents not to plant any unsolicited packages they may receive containing seeds, purportedly sent from China.

ATV registrations now required for 2020-2021

An amended executive order by Gov. Janet Mills has lifted the interim suspension for ATV registrations, and ATV owners must now register or renew registrations for 2020-2021

Living Browse Living

The County Crossword Puzzzle August 12, 2020

You can complete this crossword puzzle online. Just click on the box you want to fill in and begin typing the word you think is the answer to the clue.

Hospital unit inspection reveals zero deficiencies

Houlton Regional Hospital’s Radiology Department had its yearly Mammography Quality Stands Act inspection on July 22.

Pines marks National Health Center Week

Pines Health Services will celebrate National Health Center Week 2020 next week, from Aug. 9 through 15.

Opinion Browse Opinion

Trump is doing all right

To the editor: A recent poll reflects that only 37 percent of the public approves of President Trump’s handling of COVID-19. My question to the other 63 percent is:

Library is a local gem

To the editor: After reading in last week's Pioneer Times that Ludlow had failed to pass funding to the Cary Library during its annual budget meeting, I immediately thought of one of my favorite books of last year, Susan Orlean's “The Library Book.”

Cancer doesn’t stop, so neither can we

To the editor: Cancer doesn’t stop for a pandemic. Every day, the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) continues its lifesaving work to fight cancer through public policy.